Casting machine



Oct. 13, 1942. M. L. whi

CASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 10, 19:58

3 Sheets-Sheet l 5y MART/N L. WH/TL' HA RRAS, Knschg F05 r R ,33 [as aw Oct. 13, 1942.

M. L. WHITE CASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 10; 1958 s Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTOfg/YE Y5.

Oct. 13, 1942. M. 1.. WHITE CASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 10, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 m N H U HARRIS, K/CH,FO ER HARRIS A TTO/P/YEYG.

Patented Oct. 13, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE M.m.i'.$f$ 1'31, 6.... Application January 1o,( xiii-31in. 184,240

2 claimsi This invention relates to machines for mold ing cast products and particularly for making concrete building blocks, but the novel features are applicable to equipment for making other kinds of castings.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a machine which will manufacture a casting of uniform density and without air pockets.

Another object is to provide a simple means for ejecting from the mold the green block after it has been properly cast, in position to be readily removed from the casting apparatus, so that the cast blocks may be successively formed and rapidly carried to the curing yard.

It is common practice to use a vibrating device for shaking the mold after it is filled with material to eliminate porosity and insure uniform density in the finished casting. One of the objects of my invention is to utilize such a vibrat-- ing device to eject the casting from the mold.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a mechanism for carrying out these purposes, which shall be inexpensive, mechanically strong, of few parts, durable, and so constructed as to reduce to a minimum the cost of upkeep and repairs.

The means for ejecting the casting from the mold comprises a mold supporting frame capable of rotation on a horizontal axis through 180,

whereby the casting may be ejected vertically downward from the mold. One of the objects of my invention is to provide a means for thus rotating the mold frame which can be securely locked against accidental rotation while the mold is in its casting position, and readily released when it is desired to eject the casting.

The means for ejecting the casting from the position in the mold while the mold frame is being rotated.

A further object of my invention is to provide a casting machine in which rapid vibration is employed to shake the casting material down into a solid compact mass in the mold, which shall be so constructed that it will withstand the destructive effect of such vibration upon its several parts and elements.

mold also comprises a mold bottom vertically movable with respect to the mold and within the lateral containing walls'of the mold. One of the objects of my invention is to provide means for reducing to a minimum abrasive wear between the bounding edges of the mold bottom and the inner faces of the lateral containing walls of the mold.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mold comprising lateral walls, a bottom, and cores, of which parts some shall be constructed to have relative movement with respect to the others, whereby when the mold is inverted and subjected to a vibratory action the movable parts will assist in accomplishing the ejection of the casting.

Another object is the provision of a readily releasable means for holding the green block in Further objects and advantages of my invention will be made evident throughout the following specification.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of machine embodying the principles of my invention. This particular machine is designed to manufacture concrete building blocks, which in this case are of the well known hollow type. Parts of the machine are shown broken away to better reveal parts which would otherwise be concealed.

Fig. 2 shows the machine in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of that part of the machine in which the actual casting is done, together with adjacent parts of the material hopper and the removal conveyer, parts of the machine being shown in section.

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are views of the same elements shown in Fig. 3, but in three other positions respectively during the cycle of the operation by which the green casting is ejected from the mold and upon the conveyer.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 9 showing a modified form of that part of the machine in which the actual casting is done, together with adjacent parts of the conveyer, the mold being shown in this view in inverted position for ejecting the casting.

Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the modification shown in Fig. 8, taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8, the left end of the machine being shown in end elevation.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view showing in sectional elevation a modified form of the ejector plate used in the machine shown in Figs. 1 to 'l.

The several elements of the machine are sup ported upon five frames, viz., a stationary hopper frame A, a stationary conveyer'frame B, a

stationarily mounted vibratable frame C, a m-- tatable .mold frame D mounted upon the vibratable frame C, and an ejector frame E which is mounted upon and vertically movable with respect to the mold frame D. (See Fig. 2.)

The-hopper frame A comprises upright standards ll suitably mounted at their lower ends upon the floor or ground [2, braces l3, and horizontal cross bars l4 upon which is mounted and igidly secured a hopper l5 designed to receive carry an endless conveyer 23. This conveyer is.

of any standard type and during the operation of the machine moves continuously in the direction indicated by the arrow to remove the green blocks from the casting apparatus. From that end of the bars l3 adjacent and beneath the hopper l5 extend in cantilever fashion two horizontal, parallel, supporting rods 2|, upon which are mounted rollers 22 along which are manually pushed the green blocks in the direction indicated by the arrow to a position such that they are engaged and moved by the conveyer 23.

The vibratable frame C has as its principal element tow main horizontal parallel beams 23 which are rigidly mounted at each of their ends on pedestals 24 of any suitable form and con-' struction, which pedestals are fixedly supported on the ground or floor l2 independently of the supporting members of the hopper and conveyer frames. These beams 23 are made of some material having a small degree of elasticity, preferably wood. They are positioned at one end under the conveyer frame and just within the standards ll Between and upon these beams 23 a transverse shaft 25 is journaled in bearings 23. To this shaft are secured unbalancing weights 21 and a drive pulley 28. A motor 23 independently mounted upon the floor I2 is belted to this pulley 28 and is controlled by a switch 30 within convenient reach of the operator. The shaft 25, when rotated rapidly by this motor, imparts a vertical vibratory motion to the beams 23, because of the unbalancing action of the weights 21. This vertical vibration is made possible by the elasticity of the beams 23, while at the same time horizontal movement of vibration is resisted by the rigid character of the support of the beams 23 in the pedestals 24;

The vibratable frame C further comprises two' parallel horizontal angle irons 3| bolted respectively to the wooden beams 23 at the middle portions thereof, a pair of relatively short vertical 7 steel standards 32 riveted respectively to the upper faces of the two angle irons 3| at the front ends thereof and extending upwardly to a plane just beneath the conveyer rods 2|, and a pair of relatively long vertical steel standards 33 riveted respectively to the upper faces of the two angle irons 3| at the rear ends thereof and extending upwardly to the horizontal plane of the bottom of the hopper l5. These standards 32and 33 are shown as sections of channel iron and are tied together in a strong, rigid framework by horizontal cross bars 34, each riveted at one end to the upper end of the corresponding short standard 32 and at the other end to the middle portion of the corresponding long standard 33. Standards 32 are rigidly braced in spaced relationship by a cross bar 35, and the standards 33 are similarly braced by a cross bar 33. The vibratable frame C is completed by a pair of short uprights 31 each rigidly mounted upon the central portion of the corresponding cross bar 34, and by a pair of horizontal bearing supports 33 each secured rigidly at one end to the upper end of the corresponding short upright 31, and at the other end to the corresponding standard 33. Each of these I bearing supports 33 carries a bearing 33 of which a base casting 43 is bolted to the support 33 and a cap casting-4| is resiliently secured to the base casting by means of bolts 42 and associated spiral springs 43. The entire frame C and the bearings 33 mounted upon it, vibrate as one rigid body whenever the switch 30 is thrown into operative position.

The entire mold frame D is rotatable upon a shaft 44 which is a part of the mold frame and which is mounted in thebearings 33. This frame D is disposed between the two upwardly extending sides of the vibratable frame C. In addition to the shaft 44, it is made up of mold side walls and mold end walls 43 which are solidly welded together into one integral rectangular horizontal frame 41 open at top and bottom, and rigidly secured to the shaft 44 by means of collars 43 bolted to the under face of the end walls 45, and fixedly set upon the shaft by set screws or other suitable means. A plurality of metal straps 43 are bolted to flanges 53 of the side walls 45 and form a support for cores 5| which are bolted or otherwise immovably secured to the upper faces of these straps 43 and project upwardly in to the space between the end and side walls of the mold. Additional cores 5| are, in the particular mold shown in the drawings, bolted to the side walls 45. Partition walls 52 between the side walls of the mold are provided according to the dimensions of the blocks to be made and the overall dimensions of the mold, so that two or more blocks may be formed in one casting operation of the machine. The mold as shown is formed to cast three blocks at one time.

The end of the mold frame to the right of the operator as he stands facing the open end of the hopper I5 is equipped with a lever 53 for shaft 44 in the bearings 33. This lever 53 is pivoted on a horizontal axis to a supporting block 54 secured to the upper face of a flange 55 of the mold end wall 48 adjacent the rear end of this flange. That portion of this lever which is below its pivotal support 56 extends below the flange 55 and abuts a shoulder 55" formed in this flange when the lever is in a vertically upright position, thereby preventing movement of the lever backward beyond this vertical position. A coil spring 51 secured to the lower end of the lever at one end and to the flange 55 at its other end tends to hold the lever in its vertical position. The upper portion of the lever can be oscillated between this vertical position and a position a few angular degrees forward from the vertical until it contacts a shoulder 53 formed in an upper flange 53 of the mold end wall. A shoulder 50 in the rear edge of the lever engages the under face of the cross bar 36 when the lever is in a vertical position and in combination with the spring 51 locks the mold frame D from rotation. When it is desired to rotate the frame D through an angle of and invert it for the purpose of ejecting the casting, as will be presently explained, the lever is pulled forward toward the operator against the action of the spring 51 until the shoulder 53 disengages the cross bar 36, and the lever contacts the flange shoulder 53. A further pull on the lever rotates the frame D to which it is tion by the action of the. shoulder 59.

I nism for the frame and as a stand fo the pivoted and with which it is now fixed in posi- When the frame D is swung back by the operator to its original position by a 180 movement in the opposite direction of rotation, the lever automatically locks itself in position by engagement of the shoulder 60 with the cross bar 36 and locks the frame D against accidental displacement, especially when it is subject to the vibratory motion imparted by frame C. v

The ejector frame E has as its main element two flat metal bars 8| disposed lengthwise of and beneath the mold frame D. These bars are secured in one rigid structure to stripper plates 62 by a plurality of rods 63, two rods preferably uniting each of these bars 6| with one end of a stripper plate, each stripper plate being thereby secured by welding or other suitable means to four of these rods. Each stripper plate 92 constitutes a movable bottom for one section of the mold and rests therein upon the straps 49 of the mold frame D. Each stripper plate is fashioned to fitsnugly between the mold ends and sides with suitable openings in its central portion and suitable recesses in its edges to fit snugly around the cores and 5|. In the drawings the mold is fashioned to cast three blocks at one operation and is accordingly equipped with three stripper plates.

The bars 6| are tied together in spaced relationship by straps 64 which are held upon the lower threaded ends of the rods 63 by nuts 65. The distance vertically between the upper faces of the bars GI and the under faces of the straps 49 is such that when the frame D is inverted and the ejector frame E is depressed to its extreme position, the upper face 65 of the stripper plate, which in the inverted position of the frame D has become the lower face, is held flush with the outer faces 61 of the flanges of the mold sides and ends (see Fig. '7). is thus limited in its movement in one direction by direct contact with thestraps 49 and in the other direction by the contact of the bars 6| with these same straps 49 and while free to move back and forth within the mold walls cannot pass beyond the top and bottom faces of the V walls in either direction.

The ejector frame E is further provided with two vertical rods 68 and 69. The rod 68 is freely mounted in circular openings in the right-hand end of the forward bar 5! and in the upper and lower flanges of the right-hand mold end wall 46. A horizontal clip Ill is rigidly secured to the upper end of this rod 68 and can be rotated with the rod in a circular path over the upper face of the mold frame D. It is held slightly above the mold by a spacing sleeve 13 between it and the flange 59. To the lower end of the rod 68 is rigidly secured a horizontal lever 1| preferably extending in the same direction from the rod as the clip at the other end of the rod. A coil spring I2 is disposed between the lever II and the bar BI and exerts a slight pressure downward of the clip upon the sleeve 13. The rod 69 and like associated parts are similarly arranged at the left rear corner of the ejector frame E.

End guides 14 are fastened to the upper faces of the flanges 59 of the end walls of the mold and serve to assist the operator in placing a wooden cover pallet 15 over the mold when it has been filled with material and prevent endwise movement of the pallet. A box platform It serves both to protect the vibrating mecha- The strippe plate operator.

In the operation of the machine, the concrete or other material is delivered by the, conveyer Hi to the hopper IS. The operator stands upon the box 16 and with a hoe pulls concrete from the hopper towards him onto the top of the. mold frame D, and the concrete drops into the cavities of the mold. The switch 30 is thrown, and the frame C vibrated. This vibration is imparted to the mold frame D through the bearings 39, and the material is packed by the action of gravity in one homogeneous mass of great and uniform density. The switch 30 is next used to stop the motor 29. Excess material is scraped from the top of the mold back into the hopper by any suitable scraping tool (not shown). A wooden cover pallet 15 is placed on top of the green concrete block as it lies in the mold, and the pallet is fastened in position by slightly lifting the clips 10, turning them approximately over the face of the pallet, and releasing them so that they exert downward pressure on th pallet and seme tfi hold it in place. The lever 53 is then grasped and pulled toward the operator, which has the effect of first releasing the mold frame D from .its locked position with respect to the vibratable frame C and then inverting the-mold frame. The green block after inversion is still held within the mold by friction of its outer surfaces with the mold walls and cores. It is in position over the rollers 22. At this juncture the switch 39 is thrown andthe frame C vibrated for a very brief interval of time. This vibration assisted y a downward push by the operator on some part of the ejector frame E causes the cover pallet, the green concrete block, the stripper plates, and the ejector frame to drop vertically in unison as one body. The stripper plates, and with them the ejector frame, are, however, caught by the contact of the bars 6| with the straps 49.

The concrete block, the pallet upon which it rests, and the rods 68 and 59 then continue to drop downward in unison until the pallet rests upon the rollers 22. The springs 12 are compressed and shortened a distance equal to this additional drop. The clips 10 are then rotated until they clear the pallet and move upward a short distance under the action of the springs 12. The pallet and concrete block resting upon it are pushed away from the operator and under the mold frame D, along the rollers 22 until engaged by the endless conveyor 20. The additional drop of the pallet, block, and rods 68 and 69 provides the clearance between the concrete block on the one hand and the mold frame D and stripper plates 62 on the other hand to permit this movement of the block on the rollers 22 under the depending mold and ejector frames and out of the way of the next block to be cast.

It will be observed that the clips 10 are capable with equal convenience and facility in either position of the mold frame. When the latter is in the upright or casting position the clips are grasped by the hands of the operator and moved to position to retain the cover pallet 15 in position. When the mold frame is in the inverted position, the levers H which are then in their upper position, and available to the operator, are slightly depressed and then rotated to move the clips 19 out of engagement with the cover pallet 15.

mold frame D and ejector frame E are rotated in reverse direction back into their original posi- After the ejection of the concrete block, thetion. The ejector frame E and with it the stripper plates 62 drop back into position, with thestripper plates again ready to serve as a bottom for the mold, and the apparatus is ready for a repetition of the cycle of casting and discharge. The springs 12 are sufiiciently strong to hold the clips securely in position during the rotational movement of the mold frame D, but are not sufficiently strong to support the weight of the pallet and green block after inversion is completed, and the pallet and block are dropped from the mold frame by the vibration of the frame 0. Otherwise these springs 12 would prevent the further downward movement of the block and pallet after the movement of the stripper plates has been arrested, a movement which is necessary to provide the clearance between the block and mold just above the block sufllcient to allow horizontal movement of the block on the conveyer to the curing yard.

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a modified form of my invention. In these figures each part corresponding to a part of the machine shown in Figs. 1 to 7 is designated by the same numeral, followed by the suflix letter a.

In this modified form of my invention the ejector frame E is omitted and a mold bottom 62a is loosely mounted between a plurality of metal strips 49a on the one hand and flanges 50a of the mold sides and flanges 55a of the mold ends on the other hand. Each of these straps 48a, of which there are three shown in the drawings, is bolted at its ends to flanges 50a of the side walls 45a of the mold. A spacer bar 11 is inserted and bolted in position between each flange 50a and the ends of the straps 49a, this spacer bar being slightly thicker than the mold bottom 62a, with the result that the mold bottom has a small amount of vertical play between the straps 49a and the flanges 50a. The mold bottom is made sufficiently wide to engage and rest along its lateral edges 18 upon the flanges 50a when the mold is in inverted position, as shown in Fig. 8.

Similarly, the mold bottom 62a is made sumciently long to engage and rest along its end edges 19 upon the flanges 55a when the mold is in inverted position. The spacer bars TI are separated horizontally from the lateral edges of the mold bottom by a narrow gap 80 which permits a slight horizontal movement of the mold bottom between the spacer bars. To control endwise movement of the mold bottom 62a a cleat bar 8| is bolted to the under side of each of the flanges 55a in position to provide a narrow gap 82 between the cleat bars and the end edges 19 of the bottom plate 62a. The mold bottom therefore has a slight horizontal movement between the cleat bars 8|. It is apparent that the mold bottom 62a is so mounted as to have a small horizontal play both longitudinally and laterally, and a small vertical play.

It will be understood that the size and shape of the mold, and the size, shape, and arrangement of cores can be varied to produce a casting of any desired size and shape. When one or more central cores are used, such as are shown in Figs. 8 and 9 and therein designated as Ola, I prefer to secure them to the mold bottom by bolts, and this construction is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. These cores, being rigidly secured to the bottom plate, move bodily with the bottom plate when that plate moves either vertically or horizontally with respect to the remainder of the mold. On the other hand, I prefer to rigidly bolt the side cores 5la to the side walls 45a of the mold.

The rods 68a are mounted and related to the other parts of the machine similarly to the mounting and arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 7, except that since the frame E is omitted from this construction, the coiled spring 12a, instead of being interposed between the lever H and the flat bar 6|, as in the construction of Figs. 1 to '7, is made longer and is interposed between the lever Ila and the end flange 55a, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

The machine-is operated in a manner similar to that which has been heretofore set forth in.

describing the operation of the machine of Figs. 1 to 7. When, however, the mold is inverted and the frame C is given a vibratory motion, the mold bottom 62a and central cores 5Ia are given a vibratory or chattering motion, both vertically and horizontally, which assists the action of gravity in freeing the casting from the mold, which then drops with the pallet 15a, upon which it is supported, until it rests upon the conveyer rollers 22a. The springs 12a are compressed during this downward movement of pallet and casting. It will be noted that the vertical clearance of the mold bottom is very small. -This clearance is so gauged that the larger solid particles of the concrete mixture can not enter the small vertical gap between the mold bottom and the mold flanges, but the water of the mixture, carrying minute solid particles in suspension, will enter the gap. When the mold is inverted and vibrated, air is freeto pass from the space above the mold bottom, around the lateral and end edges of the bottom, and relieve any suction which may exist by virtue of the intimate contact of the green casting with the faces of the mold bottom, sides, and cores. The chattering motion of the central cores with respect to the rest of the mold materially facilitates the release of the casting.

In Fig. 10 there is shown a modified construction of the stripper plate 62 as shown in Figs. 1 to 7. The stripper plate 62b shown in Fig. 10 is made of slightly smaller dimensions both in length and breadth than the similar dimensions of the interior of the mold between the side walls b and end walls 46b thereof. It is faced with a rubber sheet 83 shaped and dimensioned to snugly fit the side and end walls of the mold. By this construction a metal-to-metal contact between the edges of the stripper plate and interior faces of the mold Walls is eliminated, and a rubber-to-metal contact is provided. Tests show that as the stripper plate reciprocates vertically within the mold walls, wear of the plate edges and scouring of the mold walls are greatly decreased by employing this rubber facing, and that the life of these parts of the machine is many times greater than in the case of the construction which affords metal-to-metal contact.

While I have shown and described herein certain embodiments of my invention, the principles of that invention are capable of other embodiments. I therefore do not wish to limit myself to the particular constructions shown, but define my invention in the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a casting machine, the combination of: a supporting frame; a mold frame rotatably mounted on said supporting frame upon a horizontal axis and adapted when in upright position to receive thematerial to be cast; a lever for rotating said mold frame, said lever being pivotally mounted on said mold frame on an axis parallel to the mold frame axis and limited in its angular movement in one direction of rotation by a first contact amazement with said mold frame. and in the other direction of rotation by a second contact engagement with said mold frame; means for automatically latching said lever with said supporting frame when said lever is in its position of said first contact engagement and said mold frame is in upriaht position. said latching means bein inoperative when said lever is in its position of said second contact engagement; and resilient means for holding said lever in its position of said first contact engagement and for yieldably resisting an ular movement of said lever from its position of said first contact engagement to its position of said second contact engagement.

2. In a casting machine, the combination of: a vibratable supporting frame; a mold frame rotatably mounted thereon on a horizontal axis; a mold carried by said frame, said mold being en'- tirely on one side of said axis and adapted when in upright position and above said axis to receive the material to be cast; a stripper plate at the bottom of said mold frame; an ejector frame vertically slidably mounted on said mold frame and to which said stripper plate is secured; a removable top pallet for said mold frame; a vertical rod slidably and rotatably mounted on both said mold frame and said ejector frame and extending a substantial distance above and below said axis; a clip rigidly mounted at the upper end of said rod for retaining said top pallet in position upon said mold frame; a lever rigidly mounted at the other end of said rod, said lever and said clip being on opposite sides of and substantially equidistant from said axis; and a spring disposed between said lever and said ejector frame.

MARTINL. WHI'I'F 

